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Good news on the 3rd-gen Tacoma: both the 2.7L 2TR-FE and 3.5L 2GR-FKS use an externally mounted, serpentine-belt-driven water pump, so you never open the timing cover or touch the chain. Ninety percent of the effort is access - draining coolant, pulling the plastic fan shroud, getting the mechanical fan and clutch off, and releasing the automatic belt tensioner. Once the pulley is out of the way it's a handful of 10 mm and 12 mm bolts.
The two things people get wrong: fan-clutch nuts and coolant. Crack the four 10 mm fan nuts loose while the belt is still on, because once the belt is off the pulley just spins. And refill only with Toyota Super Long Life pink coolant, then burp it properly with the heater on full hot - most 'the new pump is bad' complaints are just trapped air.
| Item | Type | Product search |
|---|---|---|
| Drain pan 8+ quart capacity Catches coolant from the radiator drain cock and block. | Required | search retailer |
| Funnel / spill-free filler Toyota/Lexus radiator neck funnel kit Fills and burps the system without air pockets. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Screwdriver set Flat blade and Phillips #2 Opens the radiator drain cock and pops plastic clips on the engine/skid covers. | Required | search retailer |
| Socket set 10, 12, 14, 17 mm 6-point, 3/8 in drive Fan shroud, fan clutch nuts, water pump bolts, belt tensioner and bracket hardware. | Required | search retailer |
| Ratchet with extensions 3/8 in drive, 3 in and 6 in extensions plus wobble/swivel Reaches pump bolts behind the pulley and the lower shroud bolts. | Required | search retailer |
| Long-handle wrench or serpentine belt tool 14 mm box end, or belt tool with 14 mm socket Rotates the automatic belt tensioner to release the serpentine belt. | Required | search retailer |
| Hose clamp pliers Swivel-jaw spring clamp pliers Removes the factory spring clamps on the heater/bypass and radiator hoses. | Required | search retailer |
| Pulley/fan holding tool Fan clutch holder or large strap wrench Keeps the water pump pulley from spinning while you loosen the four fan nuts (belt can be left on for the initial crack). | Recommended | search retailer |
| Torque wrench 3/8 in drive, 5-80 ft-lb range Pump bolts thread into aluminum and must be torqued evenly. | Required | search retailer |
| Gasket scraper / plastic razor Plastic or brass blade Cleans old gasket material off the aluminum block face without scratching it. | Required | search retailer |
| Brake cleaner or parts cleaner Aerosol, non-chlorinated Degreases the sealing surface before the new gasket goes on. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Shop towels and small wire brush Brass bristle Cleans bolt threads and corrosion from the pump area. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Water pump 2TR-FE: pump with gasket; 2GR-FKS: pump with gasket/O-ring (Aisin or Toyota OE) The replacement unit; buy the kit that includes the correct gasket. | Parts | search retailer |
| Toyota Super Long Life Coolant Pink SLLC, pre-mixed; roughly 2-2.5 gal to refill Correct coolant for the 3rd gen Tacoma; do not substitute green or universal. | Parts | search retailer |
| Serpentine drive belt Engine-specific OE-length belt Cheap insurance while the belt is already off; replace if cracked or over 60k miles. | Parts | search retailer |
| Thermostat and gasket Engine-specific Common do-it-while-you're-in-there item since the system is already drained. | Parts | search retailer |
| Distilled water 1 gallon Flushing and topping off without introducing minerals. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Floor jack and jack stands 2+ ton stands Raises the truck to reach the radiator drain and lower shroud bolts. | Safety | search retailer |
| Wheel chocks Keeps the truck from rolling while raised. | Safety | search retailer |
| Safety glasses and nitrile gloves Coolant is hot, slippery and toxic. | Safety | search retailer |
| OBD-II scan tool Basic code reader Clears any coolant-temp or fan-related codes after the job. | Recommended | search retailer |
Both engines use the same core sizes: 10 mm fan-clutch nuts, 10/12 mm water pump bolts, 14 mm belt tensioner. The 2.7L 2TR-FE is a roomier four-cylinder bay with fewer brackets in the way, while the 3.5L 2GR-FKS is tighter on the passenger side and often requires moving an idler pulley or bracket for clearance. Pump gaskets and coolant capacity differ by engine, so buy the pump kit and hose clamps by engine code.
| Water pump mounting bolts (M6, 10 mm head) - both engines | verify in the service manual (typical M6 into aluminum: ~9 ft-lb / 12 Nm) |
| Water pump mounting bolts (M8, 12 mm head) | verify in the service manual (typical M8 into aluminum: ~15-18 ft-lb / 21-24 Nm) |
| Fan clutch-to-pulley nuts (10 mm) | verify in the service manual |
| Fan shroud bolts (10 mm) | verify in the service manual (snug only, plastic) |
| Radiator drain cock | Hand tight only - plastic |
| Thermostat housing bolts | verify in the service manual |
No. On both the 2.7L 2TR-FE and 3.5L 2GR-FKS the pump is bolted to the outside of the engine and driven by the serpentine belt, so you don't need to open the timing cover or re-time anything.
Plan on roughly 2 to 2.5 gallons of pre-mixed Toyota pink Super Long Life Coolant for a drain-and-refill; the 3.5L holds a bit more than the 2.7L. Buy an extra gallon for burping and topping off.
The radiator can stay. You do need to remove the plastic fan shroud and the mechanical fan/clutch assembly to get the water pump pulley out of the way.
Pink crust or wet drips at the front of the engine below the pulley, a whine or growl that changes with rpm, weep-hole seepage, or coolant loss with no visible hose leak. Play in the pulley when you rock it by hand means the bearing is on the way out.